This invention relates to an electronic circuit and more particularly to an electronic circuit utilizing a minimum number of integrated circuit chips to produce electronic dice.
Dice are commonly utilized in various games of chance. Generally, the dice are formed of small cubes having spots, ranging from one spot up to six spots, on each of the six faces of the cube. Since the cubes are rather small they are frequently lost or misplaced. Also, through continued usage, the cubes become dented and damaged which can result in a loss of the randomness of the dice. Furthermore, the small cubes can be easily loaded and fixed to produce particular desired combinations of numbers. It has therefore been suggested in the prior art to produce electronic dice which can simulate the random results of mechanical dice.
While various circuits have been suggested for producing such electronic dice, these circuits have generally been complex and costly, and have also failed to take into account the psychological aspect of utilizing a set of mechanical dice. In order to produce the randomness required, prior art circuits have generally used numerous clocks and gates which have resulted in a relatively high cost of electronic components and a rather complicated system to operate. Furthermore, electronic dice have not been able to produce the emotional involvement and thrills which are associated with the rolling of mechanical dice. With mechanical dice, as they are rolled, the cubes bounce and jump from side to side until finally coming to rest on one face. During the rolling, the visual effect of the continuously changing faces with continuously changing numbers enhances the psychological effect of chance and luck. Also, the sound of the rolling dice is stimulating and also adds to the psychological effect of the chance and risk in using the dice. These psychological aspects have generally been overlooked in prior art electronic dice. Typically, there is no sound associated with the electronic dice and the only visual display is the final numbers; but there will not appear any continuously changing numbers representing the rolling dice cubes.